Day at the Beach

We had to cancel our youth weekend a couple of weeks ago. So.... Neil & I took some of the youth (well 4 of them) up to the Portrush area for the day. We had a lot of fun chilling out and eating (amazingly Sam was actually full and refusing food at one point - those of you who know him will know how unusual this is). The sun was shining and it was good to feel the water run thru my toes on the beach (and damn cold too!!)





We got to play frisbee on the beach which rocked - Gems is pretty good at it. I'm just too unfit to run or jump anywhere.


And practised our golf skills. We weren't too bad - at least we didn't lose the golf balls over the edge of the cliff......

We had a lot of fun - We won't be seeing so much of these guys as the heads hit the books to study for A levels. I'm sure parents everywhere will love me for saying this - but don't study too hard guys. Remember to come and see us.......

Monsters Inc

Apparently if I was a monster my name would be thus:

Get Your Monster Name

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......

Redemption & Reconnecting

Today is Easter Sunday. As I was driving to work this morning at 6:30am it was just getting light & I could see the mist hanging over the fields by the road as I drove. I got to thinking - was this like the garden where Mary met Jesus all those years ago ? That first Easter morning when it was proclaimed "Christ is risen!"

And then I got to thinking about other firsts & new starts that I have experienced & am experiencing at the minute.

I've started a new job just over a month ago - its a very different environment to the one I was working in before but one I am enjoying. Its nice to wake up in the morning & look forward to going to work. It's been a while since I felt like that. A nice first.

On the other hand, I left what was once my "home" church a few weeks ago. In recent months decisions were made that I didn't agree with and with much heartache I decided to leave before staying destroyed me emotionally & spiritually. And so I find myself without a spiritual home. It's been weird cos while it freaks me out (probably the Protestant ethic part that says "you must go to church on Sunday") but at the same time I don't feel that I need to rush & start attending another church. It's even made me rethink what is church ? What does it mean to do church ?

So as I walk into a new life with whatever my idea of church was, I know it's important for me to stay connected to God & to friends - for now church to me is having coffee with friends in Starbucks or some other local cafe - be that on a Sunday, or another day of the week (who said "church" had to be on a Sunday ?); going to the park & playing sport/ having a picnic; hanging out with a chinese takeaway & a bottle of wine with friends; listening to pastors/ preachers from other churches around the world on my Ipod. I don't think it really matters how I connect with God or friends - the important thing is that I do it - it would be easy to fall into the routine of 'get up.... go to work..... come home.... get up.... go to work..... come home....' and cut myself off from everyone. I choose not to do that - I choose friends, I choose God, I choose God's redemption - that he can heal me & others who have been hurt more than me & that however we connect with Him, He offers us His redemption.

"Christ is risen. Hallelujah !"